Page 43 (1/2)

Epap nods at et a move on," he says "It’s a ways back to the Mission You take the lead, Gene I’ll take the rear, what do you say?"

I seeforward, into theire of energy in s as I lead them back to the Mission

But I haven’t ain, I stare at the eastern horizon I feel the pull of a et to walk behind Gene!" Jacob says, picking up his backpack

And yet still, I have not , speaks But unlike the others, there is no excitement in her voice "Gene" That is all she says, just my name, quietly Her voice is filled with an unbearable sadness that devastates me She shakes her head as she looks at me, and in that small move pass between us

The boys turn to her, confusion etched into their faces

"Sissy?" Ben asks "What’s thewith us," Sissy says, her eyes never leaving mine

"What? What do you mean?"

Her voice is calm "East is his destination It’s the path the Scientist determined for him"

"No," David says, his voice thick with ein," she says "His path is different from ours"

"Sissy," Ben says, "he wants to come with us and--"

"Don’t let Gene die," she says "Gene is the Origin He is the cure He needs to stay alive He needs to head east Nothing is more important"

The boys’ faces turn pale But their wide eyes and silent quivering lips betray the unwanted acknowledght

"He needs to find the Scientist," she continues with a determined calned fros"--her face hardens like flint--"get in the way" She gazes at me from the corners of her eyes, and for the first tiuish "And deep down it’s what Gene also wants"

The boys look atelse on my face, a different expression that causes his lower lip to wobble, his eyes to tear up "Gene?" he asks, and his question hangs in the air, dangling in the wind

Sissy --and nobody--matters o" And now she is standing right in front of me, so close I see the cracks in her hardened expression, the soft crevices of ache "You’d walk to the ends of the earth to find hi at me The sky is a vivid deep blue above theht Ben starts to sob and Epap puts a co arm around his shoulders

"I won’t leave you," I say

"You must," Sissy says "I won’t let you stay"

"I’er on ranite dome draws out the deep pools of her irises I remember the first time I saw those brown eyes, on my deskscreen at school It hen she picked out the lottery nuo, yet I still reitalized pixels of the screen, of strength and softness both

And that is how her hand feels on th and softness

"Gene," she whispers, and her voice at last betrays her She ss hard "Go" For a moment, her resolute eyes break into shards of hesitation She pauses, as if to giveShe closes her eyes and turns back to the boys